Patent GB-1030731-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for shaving the outer surface of an insulated electrical conductor
IPC: H02G1/12
Filed: 1963-01-04
Abstract: 1,030,731. Lathes. WESTERN ELECTRIC CO. Inc. Jan. 4, 1963 [Jan. 8, 1962], No. 485/63. Heading B3T. A hollow cutter-head lathe for machining the oversized insulation of electrical cables CR to size comprises a stationary tube 89, Fig. 5 (not shown), through which the cable passes, a sleeve 96 on the tube driven as by belts 92, 93 from a motor 13, and a second sleeve 100 rotatable on the first by cams 99a, 100a for adjusting the cutting radius of the cutters 85, 86. The machined cable passes through capacitanceelectrode sensing means, Fig. 24 (not shown), for sensing vertical and horizontal eccentricity of the insulation relatively to the cable. These operate through servo - controls to adjust centring fingers 74-76 (Fig. 2) for centring the cable vertically and horizontally as it enters the cutter-head. A diameter sensing means is also used, operating through a servo-device to control the cutting radius of the three cutters 85, 86. Gears for controlling the guide fingers 74- 76 and the cutters are housed in the headstock CMPT, Fig. 1 (not shown). The cutters rotate within a casing 126 for collecting swarf, which is broken by a stationary blade 124. Attached to the casing 126 is a guide-sleeve 133, Fig. 21 (not shown), for the machined cable. Air introduced into channels around the sleeve 133 removes cuttings. The tools 85, 86 (Fig. 5), are secured by plates 21 in bosses 118 on slides 105, which are mounted in guideways in a plate 98 fixed to an outer sleeve 97. Springs 114 hold rolls RL on the slides against cams 111 on the sleeve 100 which may be turned by axial movement of a sleeve 99 (Fig. 2) having three cam-fingers 99a, 99c engaging fingers 100a, 100e on sleeve 100. The fingers are kept in engagement by springs 101a, 101b. Axial movement of the rotating sleeve 99 is by a non-rotatable ring 33 controlled by rods 31, 32, which are moved by screw-andnut gears 29, 30 driven by pinions 27, 28 meshing with a gear 18. This is fixed to a wormwheel 15 driven by a worm 21 controlled manually or by the servo-system. Dowels may be inserted in holes in the sleeves 97, 100, Fig. 6 (not shown), and drawn together to retract the cutters. Centring the cable.-The centring fingers 74- 77 are mounted on shafts 56-60 carrying helical gear segments 54, 55, 58, 59 meshing with gear segments 45, 46, 52, 53, axial movements of which produce centring movements of the fingers. The segments 45, 46, 52, 53 are carried by rings 51, 44 which are moved axially by rods 40, 47, 48 rotatable in screw-threads in the rings. The rods are rotated by pinions 36- 39 driven by gears 19, 20 and worm gears 16, 2, 17, 23 controlled by the servo-device. Movement of the ring 51 moves the fingers 75, 77 simultaneously up or down; ring 44 moves the fingers 74, 76 simultaneously to either side. The gear segments 45, 46, 52 and 53 may be turned relatively to the rings 51, 44, against the influence of springs SP, Fig. 14, by a handle 71 to separate the centring fingers. A shaft 72 supporting the handle 71, carries a gear 73 meshing with a pin-carrier 62, the pins 68 of which engage dogs 63-66 on the finger-shafts 56, 60, turning the shaft to release the fingers. The resilient mounting of the gear segments also accommodates normal variations in cablediameter engaged by the fingers.